A Girl's Best Friend
by Lady Elizabeth of New York
Summary: AU When a black shaggy dog finds his way to the Weasley's house, Ginny adopts him. Little does she know that this dog has a secret.
1. Chapter 1

It happened so quickly. Ron was hugging his teddy bear to his chest as he listened to his mother telling him the tale of Babbity Rabbitity. Then Ron felt his teddy bear move. He looked down and screamed because what had once been his teddy bear was now a gigantic spider.

Ron threw the spider as far as he could. It landed at the feet of Fred and George who were howling with laughter.

"Fred! George!" Molly shouted, glaring at the identical ten year old boys.

"Sorry Mum, just a bit of accidental magic," Fred explained innocently.

"It's funny how your accidental magic always happens when you want it to," Ginny remarked, rolling her eyes.

"Aw, come on, little sis, we know you think we are funny," George commented.

"It wasn't funny!" Ron exclaimed. "It was terrifying."

"Oh sweetie, it's okay. I promise that we'll protect you if a spider ever tries to hurt you," Molly assured him, giving him a hug. This didn't make Ron feel better, mostly because Fred and George were mouthing "Mummy's boy" behind her. "All right now. It's past your bed time."

"But Mum, Percy, Bill and Charlie are still up," Fred reminded her.

"They're Hogwarts' students and they're doing their homework," Molly said sternly.

"We're going to be Hogwarts' students soon," George said happily. "Next April we'll be eleven and then we're off to Hogwarts that September. And then Ickile Ronnie and Ginny will have the whole house to themselves."

"Won't that be terrible?" Ginny said sarcastically.

"Yeah, we'll miss your pranks lots," Ron agreed in the same tone. Fred and George stuck their tongues out at the two of them.

"That's enough out of you four. It's time for bed," Molly said again.

"Can't we at least wait for Daddy to get home?" Ginny asked eagerly.

"Can we, Mum? I want to see what Muggle thing, he brings home this time," Ron pleaded. Molly sighed.

"Oh all right. But if he isn't home in an hour. You will have to go to bed," Molly answered with an exasperated sigh.

"While we wait, can we hear the story about Harry Potter?" Ginny asked hopefully.

"Again? Ginny, we've already heard that story a million times," Ron complained.

"I want to hear it again," Ginny said firmly. Ron groaned. Ginny gave him a look. "I had to listen to Babbittidy Rabbittidy for the thousandth time. Now I want to hear about Harry Potter."

"We better go before Ginny starts talking about her life-long dream to marry Harry Potter," Fred remarked.

"That's not my life-long dream," Ginny protested. "My life-long dream is to be Sseeker in the Holyhead Harpies. And then I'm going to marry Harry Potter and we're going to live in a big red house with lots of-"

"And we're going," George interrupted quickly as Fred and George left the room.

"Thought that would get them to leave," Ginny whispered to Ron. Ron grinned. Molly opened her mouth to scold Ginny when she heard Percy call her from his room. Molly promised to be right back as she ran out of Ron's room.

Ron heard thunder and he looked outside to check for rain. His eyes widened.

"What's wrong?" Ginny asked curiously.

"There's a black dog outside our house," Ron told her, pointing outside. "You don't think that's the Grim do you? Because if it is that means, we're going to die." Ginny rolled her eyes and looked outside the window. A black, shaggy dog was lying on the porch, watching the dark clouds.

"The poor thing is probably homeless," Ginny guessed, getting up and walking towards the door.

"Gin, where are you going?" Ron asked, praying that she wasn't going to do what he knew she would do.

"I'm going to go see if he's friendly," Ginny replied, hurrying out of the room.

"That's a great idea. Befriend a strange dog. Why don't we befriend an escaped prisoner while we're at it," Ron muttered sarcastically but he followed Ginny anyway. Regardless of how he might feel about these things, Ron was never one to leave Ginny by herself.

They crept down the stairs and out of the house. The dog looked up when they found him. To Ron's immense surprise, he didn't growl or get up when he saw them. He just raised his head as if to ask, "Who are you?"

Ginny gently reached over to the dog and patted his head. The dog sniffed her and then laid his head on his paws again, his tail wagging.

Sensing there was no danger, Ron slowly extended his hand and patted the dog's back.

"He's so cute. Do you think Mum will let us keep him?" Ginny asked hopefully. "I've always wanted a dog. They're much better than cats or rats." The dog barked as though he was agreeing with Ginny.

"I don't know, Ginny, taking care of a dog is a lot of hard work," Ron reminded her. Before Ginny could retort, Bill came outside.

"There you two are," he said with a sigh. "You nearly gave Mum a heart attack." Then he noticed the black dog. "Where did you find him?"

"We didn't," Ginny answered. "He found us."

"Well you better get inside before Mum calls the Minister to go look for you," Bill remarked.

* * *

"A dog?" Molly repeated. "I think we have enough mouths to feed without me worrying about a dog."

"Oh please, Mum, let us keep him. We'll take care of him ourselves," Ginny pleaded, hugging the black dog. The dog gave a very sad whimper and looked at Molly with sad eye. Ron got the feeling he knew exactly what was going on.

"Molly, I'm home," Arthur called walking into the house. Ginny ran to him. Arthur scooped her up in his arms and hugged her. "How's my little girl?"

"Great, Dad," Ginny answered sweetly, giving him the most innocent face in the world with her bottom lip sticking out. "Please get Mum to let us keep him." Arthur furrowed his brow in confusion.

"Keep who?" Arthur asked then he spotted the dog. "A dog? Excellent. I've always wanted one."

"Arthur!" Molly exclaimed.

"Why don't we put it to a vote?" Percy suggested. "Whoever wants to keep the dog raise your hand?"

Arthur and Ginny immediately put their hands up. Fred and George soon followed. After a glare from Ginny, Ron put his hand up too.

"It seems that you are outnumbered, Molly," Arthur told her matter of factly.

"Oh all right, we can keep the dog," Molly said with a sigh. "But the dog is going to be the whole family's responsibility. I better not be the only one who feeds him, walks him and cleans up after him."

"So Ginny, what do you want to name him?" Arthur asked curiously. Ginny watched the dog for a minute.

"Hmm, how about Felix?" Ginny suggested. "It's Latin for happy." The dog barked and wagged his tail.


	2. Chapter 2

Four years passed and Felix was part of the family. Even Molly, who was so sure that Felix would be a handful, warmed up to him. But there was one minor problem: Felix and Scabbers did not get along. Well, that was a bit of an understatement. Felix had tried to attack the rat every time, he saw him.

* * *

"Ginny, could you please control your dog," Ron implored, hugging Scabbers close to him, backing away from Felix, who was growling at Scabbers. Scabbers was wiggling in Ron's hands, trying to get away from the dog. "He's trying to eat Scabbers again."

"He is not. He just doesn't like rats. You know that," Ginny protested, wrapping her arms around Felix's neck, trying to calm him down. Felix stopped growling but he kept his eyes on Scabbers. Ron could swear that the look in Felix's eyes was murderous.

"I know you love Felix, Gin, but he acts like a werewolf when he's around Scabbers," Ron told her gently. Felix bristled at that remark. Not for the first time, Ron was sure that Felix knew exactly what they were saying.

"Come on, Felix, let's go outside and wait for Professor Dumbledore's owl," Ginny said sweetly, tugging at Felix's collar.

"Why would Professor Dumbledore send you a letter?" Ron asked. Ginny suddenly looked sheepish. "Ginny, you didn't owl Professor Dumbledore and ask him to take Felix with you to Hogwarts, did you?"

"Maybe," Ginny answered. Ron gave her a look. "What? He let you bring Scabbers," she reminded him.

"Scabbers is a tiny rat. Felix is a big dog," Ron remarked. "Besides didn't Mum specifically tell you not to owl Dumbledore for permission?"

"Are you going to tell her? Because if you do, I might accidentally tell her about the midnight rescue mission, you, Fred, and George are going to go on," Ginny told him smugly.

"This conversation never happened," Ron said quickly, going upstairs.

Ginny smirked and went outside. Felix followed her.

* * *

Ginny woke up the next morning feeling oddly self-conscious and worried. She couldn't figure out why she felt like this. She shook her head and got dressed, deciding it didn't matter. Ginny kissed the top of Felix's head and walked down the stairs.

Only when she reached the kitchen did she realize why she felt so insecure. Sitting at the breakfast table was the one and only, Harry Potter. Ginny opened her mouth to say hi, but all that came out was a little squeak.

Turning red, Ginny fled upstairs. At the top of the steps, Ginny stopped as she heard her brother's voice. She hoped that her brothers would assure Harry that she was not some lovesick fangirl. But she really she have known better.

"My sister. She been talking about you all summer," Ron told Harry.

"Yeah, she'll be wanting your autograph, Harry," Fred remarked.

Ginny felt even more embarrassed and she ran to her bedroom where Felix was sitting on her bed. Ginny threw her arms around him and buried her face into his fur.

"I hate my brothers," she said fiercely. Felix nudged her with his nose. "Okay, I don't hate them. They're just insensitive prats." Felix barked and Ginny got the feeling that he was saying that he knew exactly what she was talking about.

"You're such a good boy, Felix," Ginny told him, patting his head. "You always make me feel better." Felix wagged his tail and bumped his furry head onto Ginny's head.

* * *

The day they left to go to Hogwarts began to draw closer. Ginny finally received a letter from Professor Dumbledore.

_Dear Miss Weasley,_

_I do love dogs. They are very loyal and gentle companions. But I'm afraid with the amount of cats we have here, it may cause some problems. In addition, dogs need a lot of exercise and would not like it if they were cooped up in the dormitories all day._

_However, I have discussed the matter with Rubeus Hagrid and he tells me that if you wanted to, you could let the dog stay with him while you are at Hogwarts. In return, he asks that you play with his dog while you play with yours._

_I hope you enjoy the rest of your summer._

_Sincerely,_

_Albus Dumbledore._

* * *

"I thought I told you not to owl him," Molly said sternly.

"He said yes," Ginny told her as though this was an excuse.

Molly sighed. "I know. Well, come along. We need to collect your school supplies," Molly ordered. "And no, Felix cannot come with us." Ginny pouted but didn't argue with her mother, mostly because Molly was giving her a stern look.

"He's a great dog," Harry remarked, patting Felix's back. Felix rolled over on his back, allowing Harry to rub his belly. "I wish I had a dog. Unfortunately the Dursleys hated pets of all kinds."

Ginny opened her mouth to say how horrible that was but all that came out was high-pitched squeak. Ginny wished she could curl up in the fetal position in a hole. Luckily, for her, her mother ushered them all into the living room to floo to Diagon Alley.

* * *

Felix growled. Ginny stopped reading and looked over at her dog. Felix had been nosing through her cauldron when she wasn't looking. Now her schoolbooks were everywhere. Felix's paws were on an old looking journal that Ginny hadn't seen before.

"Felix, you silly boy, what are you doing?" Ginny asked with a laugh. She began to pick up her schoolbooks and put them back in her cauldron. She tried to grab the book that Felix's paws were on, only for Felix to snarl at her. Ginny's eyes widened; Felix had never growled at her before.

Felix grabbed the book and ran downstairs.

"Felix," Ginny called after him. "What are you doing?" She quickly ran after him, in her pink nightgown. When she got downstairs, Harry had stopped Felix and was holding the journal. "Thank you. I don't know what has gotten into him." Ginny said softly. Her eyes widened when she realized that she had just spoken to Harry Potter.

"No problem," Harry answered, handing her the journal. He smiled fondly at Felix. "You know, I think that my parents had a dog like Felix. I sort of remember riding on the back of a shaggy black dog." Then he blinked as though he had just noticed that Ginny was there. "I should probably head back upstairs. Goodnight."

"Night," Ginny called after him, afraid that if she said anything else it would come out high and squeaky.

When she was sure she heard the door to Ron's bedroom close, she pumped her fist in the air. "I just had a small conversation with Harry Potter and I didn't make a fool out of myself," she said happily to no one in particular.


	3. Chapter 3

Ginny was so excited she could hardly sleep. Tomorrow she would get on the train, she'd seen her brothers get on many times before, and she would be off to Hogwarts. Ginny still couldn't believe it. It seemed like just yesterday, she was saying goodbye to Percy as he got on the train for the very first time.

Ginny checked the time on her watch, it was an hour to midnight. Her parents should be fast asleep. Molly always made her children put their belongings in the front hallway so they were ready to be loaded into the car.

Unfortunately, Ginny had packed her diary into her trunk and now she was itching to talk to Tom. Ginny got out of her bed, careful not to disturb Felix, before creeping down the stairs.

To her surprise, she heard her parents' voices coming from the kitchen.

"I just don't understand it, Arthur, who would be doing this?" Molly asked worriedly. Ginny knew that her mother would skin her alive if she was caught eavesdropping but she wanted to know what they were talking about.

"I have no idea, Molly. Are you sure that you counted right?" Arthur questioned.

"Yes, I must have counted the money a hundred times. Someone has been adding money into our bank vault," Molly told him. Ginny's eyes widened.

"Well maybe, your Aunt Muriel was feeling generous," Arthur suggested.

"Oh Arthur, you know she doesn't like you because she feels like you forced me into becoming a housewife," Molly said apologetically.

"That's why she's doesn't like me," Arthur spluttered. "But it was your choice."

"I know that, dear," Molly told him gently. "Aunt Muriel just is set in her ways. Now let's get back to the point. It couldn't be Aunt Muriel anyway. The goblins said that the house elf who gave them the money to put in our vault had your family key."

"Now that just makes no sense. I would never give the family key to anyone who wasn't family," Arthur said firmly.

"Well I checked with both Bill and Charlie. Neither of them have access to a house elf. And they have only ever sent their money directly to us," Molly remarked.

"We have a real mystery on our hands, Molly," Arthur commented with a sigh. "What should we do?"

"I don't know. Whoever's sending us money is very clever. They only put a few galleons every couple of days. The only reason I noticed was because I knew how much money I took out to buy our children's' Hogwarts supplies," Molly explained.

"We could notify the Department of Theft and Fraud," Arthur suggested.

"And tell them what? No one is stealing from us or committing fraud against us," Molly reminded him. "They'll probably think that we're crazy not to ask this benefactor of ours for more money."

"Maybe we should go to bed, Molly. Ginny's first day is tomorrow and we should be fully awake when we see her off," Arthur said gently.

Ginny quickly ran to the hallway so her parents wouldn't see her when they came out of the kitchen. After Ginny was sure she heard her parents' door close, she dug through her trunk and grabbed her diary. She had much to tell him.

* * *

"Come on, Felix, let's find a compartment," Ginny said joyfully after she said goodbye to her parents and boarded the train.

Felix barked happily as he allowed Ginny to lead him through the corridors. A cat hissed at Felix. Felix growled back, causing Ginny to hold the leash a little tighter, not wanting Felix and the cat to start fighting.

"Excuse me," the cat's owner, a pug faced girl snapped as she hugged her cat tightly. "Dogs aren't allowed at Hogwarts especially not abdominally large mutts like yours. But then again I suppose it was the only pet you could afford, Weasley." She sniffed haughtily.

Ginny's blood boiled. "For your information, Professor Dumbledore said that Felix could come to Hogwarts," Ginny said angrily.

"Figures," the girl sneered scathingly. "Dumbledore is far too soft on you Gryffindor buffoons."

Felix began barking furiously. He tried to leap on the girl but Ginny held him back. She wanted to hex this girl or at least let Felix bite her. But she held her tongue. She didn't want the girl to go to Dumbledore and then Dumbledore decide that Felix shouldn't be at Hogwarts.

It took a lot of effort but Ginny swallowed her anger and walked into an empty compartment. She sat down as Felix jumped up in the same seat and laid his head on her leg. Ginny grinned at him and patted his back as she looked out the window.

The peaceful moment was broken when Hermione came running in. Ginny had met Hermione during the eventful Diagon Alley trip. They hadn't really talked and Ginny didn't really know her outside her brother's complaints.

"Hi, Ginny," Hermione greeted her with a kind smile. "Have you seen your brother or Harry?"

"No, I haven't," Ginny said, her brows furrowing with worry as it suddenly occurred to her that she had not seen Ron or Harry since she went through the barrier.

"Well they have to be here somewhere. They couldn't have missed the train," Hermione said firmly. Felix whined and looked up at Hermione. Ginny could tell he was worried too. Ginny gently pushed his head back onto her leg and stroked his fur soothingly.

"So how long have you owned Felix?" Hermione asked, sitting across from Ginny, deciding to continue her search for Harry and Ron later. After all, they had to be on the train somewhere.

"Since I was seven so for four years," Ginny replied, giving the top of Felix's head a kiss.

"He's adorable," Hermione remarked, patting Felix's head. "My parents don't like dogs. They say they get too big, get very dirty and they don't listen."

"Not my Felix," Ginny told her firmly, giving Felix a hug. "Felix is such a good boy. He's practically human." Felix's bark almost sounded like a laugh.

* * *

That night after Ginny was sorted into Gryffindor, she tearfully said goodbye to Felix after allowing Hagrid to take him.

Hagrid patted Felix on the head and led him to his hut. They passed Snape and Dumbledore on the way.

"I still think Potter and Weasley should be expelled," Snape was saying. Before anyone could stop him, Felix lifted his leg and relived himself on Snape's black robes. Instead of being angry, Snape looked more shocked to see Felix.

"Ah, I see that Miss Weasley's dog has arrived," Dumbledore remarked cheerfully.

"Headmaster, does this dog look familiar to you?" Snape inquired suspiciously.

"Yes, he reminds me of a dog, I once had when I was young," Dumbledore answered with a fond smile. Snape rolled his eyes.

"Sorry about your robes, Snape. I'll be taking Felix to see Fang now," Hagrid said, politely, picking Felix up and carrying Felix to his hut, much to the dog's displeasure.

Snape watched them go, still staring at Felix. "That dog looks remarkably like the dog Black could turn into," he commented, his eyes narrowed.

"Now, now, Severus. I wouldn't start worrying over it. Sirius Black has been dead for five years," Dumbledore told him calmly.

"I don't know about that. They never did find a body," Snape said unsure.


End file.
